Regional Professional Development Networks

Regional Professional Development Strategy

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is committed to empowering faculty in an AI-driven era. As artificial intelligence reshapes the ways we teach, learn, and work, faculty professional development must evolve to meet this moment. This requires professional development that supports faculty as they build the knowledge, skills, and ethical frameworks needed to integrate AI into instruction and student support—ensuring that all students, particularly those historically underserved, can thrive in an increasingly digital and data-informed world. By investing in faculty as leaders of innovation and equity, this strategy also strengthens California’s broader goals: advancing inclusive student success and preparing a skilled workforce for the state’s evolving economy.

This statewide strategy is grounded in a shared belief: that every faculty member—regardless of discipline, location, or role—deserves access to relevant, high-quality learning opportunities that build both technological fluency and human-centered leadership. The plan is structured around three integrated approaches: systemwide learning, regional responsiveness, and disciplinary innovation. Together, these create a professional development ecosystem that is coherent, flexible, and deeply aligned with the realities of California’s colleges. At the center of this approach is a commitment to collaboration across institutions and partners to ensure faculty are not navigating these changes alone.

2026–2027 Regional PD Networks for Teaching and Learning: A Call for Volunteers

Support PD for Teaching and Learning with Your Regional Colleagues

Are you aware of the faculty member in your department who’s doing something genuinely exciting with their students — although few people outside their classroom have heard about it yet? We are seeking individuals who can connect us with faculty who are doing genuinely exciting things with students. This includes promising new approaches in teaching – from small moves to deep, transformative shifts across all course modalities with and without technology. If you have a passion for connecting educators and a commitment to students and equity-minded teaching, we need you!

Do you notice promising new approaches in teaching, from small moves to deep, transformative shifts across all course modalities with and without technology? Are you guided by a commitment to students and equity-minded teaching grounded in trust and transparency? Do you have a passion for connecting educators? We see you. And we need you.

The Chancellor’s Office, in partnership with the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC), is recruiting volunteers for four Regional PD Networks for Teaching & Learning, which will launch in Fall 2026. The four networks — one for each ASCCC area (A, B, C, D) — will help shape statewide professional development by doing what you may already do naturally: spotting the innovators, building relationships, and amplifying the great work happening across our campuses.

Sign up by September 8, 2026

Why This? Why Now?

Last year, the Chancellor’s Office convened Regional Professional Development Network (RPDN) Communities of Practice across the state. Faculty were clear: they want curated, relevant, easy-to-access examples of innovative teaching, especially for navigating the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This year, the Chancellor’s Office will build the infrastructure to make sourcing and sharing teaching innovations – from small moves to sweeping changes – a reality. And we can’t do it without people who are connected to the humans doing the work.

What You’ll Help Advance

Regional PD Network members will support the communication and collaboration between statewide initiatives and local colleges to promote awareness, engagement, and implementation of professional development for teaching and learning. This includes the development, delivery, and communication of statewide professional development aligned with current strategic priorities, including AI literacy, accessibility, equity-centered teaching, online teaching and learning, affordability and burden-free access, workforce-aligned program innovation, instructional technology, and other emerging areas that support teaching and learning. Professional development may be offered in a variety of formats to meet faculty where they are and when they need it.

What You’ll Actually Do

• Join your regional network for monthly Zoom convenings from Fall 2026 through April 2027
• Contribute to the coordination of statewide faculty PD, which may include the Reclaiming Joy event in spring, hosted by the Chancellor’s Office.
• Become familiar with the strategic priorities driving this work, as outlined in the Faculty Professional Development Plan.
• Help surface the quiet excellence that deserves a bigger stage. Between meetings: have conversations with faculty colleagues, identify the innovators in various disciplines doing exciting work aligned with those priorities, and gauge their interest in being spotlighted in statewide PD (including brief videos, webinars, workshops, and articles).
• For those with the bandwidth, opportunities are available to partner with faculty and provide support with content development (videos, articles)

Meeting Schedule:

(all meetings held in Zoom)

To identify your college’s area, visit the ASCCC College Directory.

Who Should Participate

You’re a great fit if you:

• Are a current faculty or staff member actively engaged in providing or coordinating faculty PD for teaching and learning (you do not need to hold a formal PD role). Priority will be given to faculty participant;
• Have established relationships with the faculty across disciplines on your campus who are known for new ideas and experiments in teaching;
• Have a passionate commitment to student-centered, culturally grounded teaching practices and a desire to collaborate with regional peers

Instructional designers, accessibility specialists, and other instructional support staff are encouraged to apply. We are seeking one participant from each college. After the initial close date, colleges without a representative will be contacted directly and invited to participate. If multiple people from a college apply, faculty will be given priority (if applicable). In the event that multiple individuals apply from the same college, the ASCCC Area Rep and CO representative will select one participant based on the information provided through this form.

Ready? Here’s Your Next Step.

Complete the Interest Form by September 8, 2026